10/22/2013

Latest Alcoa Armor Now Specified by U.S. Army Research Lab For Highest Strength, Troop Protection in Military Vehicles

Alcoa announced its latest armor product is now specified for use by the U.S. Army Research Lab (ARL) for use in U.S. military vehicles. Alcoa’s ArmX® 5456-H151 armor plate meets the U.S. military’s highest performance standards for strength, blast absorption, and ballistics resistance for armored combat vehicles where weldability is a material requirement. Alcoa aluminum and armor have been used by the military for decades in vehicles ranging from the Bradley Fighting Vehicle to the Humvee.

“Alcoa’s military-grade aluminum alloys and products have helped the U.S. military protect troops for generations,” said Mark Vrablec, President of Global Aerospace, Transportation and Industrial Rolled Products at Alcoa. “Alcoa’s latest innovation allows military vehicle manufacturers to continue building with the highest level of durability and troop protection through welding processes when assembling the vehicle, or performing repairs in the field.

“This new product offers more than 20 percent improvement in strength compared with the baseline 5083-H131 weldable armor plate, as well as improved ballistic and blast performance,” added Vrablec.

Alcoa’s 5456-H151 armor plate, formerly referred to as CR56, joins the family of Alcoa next-generation ArmX® brand armor solutions (click here for more). Alcoa’s ArmX® 5456-H151 armor plate was developed by scientists at the Alcoa Technical Center, the world’s largest light metals innovation and R&D center located outside Pittsburgh, Pa., in collaboration with metallurgists and production engineers at Alcoa Davenport Works, the world’s premier aerospace, defense, and automotive rolling mill. ArmX® 5456-H151 armor plate will be produced at Alcoa Davenport Works, where manufacturing and quality control testing is conducted to ensure the military’s highest specifications for weldable aluminum armor plate are met.

Alcoa’s ArmX® 5456-H151 armor was tested and has been successfully demonstrated on the U.S. Army’s Fuel Efficient Ground Vehicle Demonstrator vehicle, known as FED ALPHA, a prototype vehicle that Alcoa helped develop to demonstrate lightweight, fuel-efficient technologies while maintaining vehicle durability and troop safety (click for more information on the FED vehicle). FED ALPHA’s lightweight aluminum structure makes the vehicle up to 10 percent lighter than a comparably sized steel vehicle and reduces fuel consumption by 6-7 percent.

Editor’s Note: Caption for accompanying photo: Alcoa’s newest armor alloy -- Alcoa’s ArmX® 5456-H151 armor -- is now specified for use by the U.S. Army Research Lab (ARL) for use in U.S. military vehicles. Alcoa’s ArmX 5456-H151 armor was demonstrated on the U.S. Army’s Fuel Efficient Ground Vehicle Demonstrator (FED ALPHA), shown here.

About Alcoa Defense

Alcoa Defense partners with industry leaders to design systems and materials that increase the speed, reach, agility and survivability of military platforms. In addition to delivering lightweight, innovative solutions in multiple product forms, Alcoa Defense manufactures subassemblies, prototypes and complete aluminum structures that original equipment manufacturers can integrate into their platforms for land, air and sea. More information can be found at AlcoaDefense.com.